Fabric.



No. 737,751 PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1903.

A. M. LOUGEE. FABRIC.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

Ivar/em)". WM w no. mar.

UNTTED STATES iatented September 1, 1905.-

AMANDA M. LOUGEE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FABRIC.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 737,7 51 datedSeptember 1, 1903.

Original application filed December 2, 1901, Serial No. 84,346. Dividedand this application filed May 81, 1902. Serial No.109,652. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AMANDA M. LOUGEE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, haveinvented an Improvement in Fabric, of which the following description,inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likeletters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention is a sheet material or fabric of peculiar composition ororganization having fireproof qualities,marked durability, flexibility,&c., and is adapted to a great variety of uses, the present applicationbeing a division of my original application, Serial No. 84,345, filedDecember 2, 1901.

In the drawings, where I have illustrated one embodiment of myinvention, Figure 1 represents in plan view one manner of making thematerial, and Fig. 2 similarly represents the material or fabric itself.

One purpose of my invention, aside from those already mentioned, is tomake the fabric homogeneous throughout, but of difierent degrees ofhardness, so that while the outer surface will be hard and durable thefabric will yet be extremely pliable and flexible because of theintermediate softer layers. Preferably, also, the fabric is waterproofor nonabsorbent, as well as fire-resisting, and has a sleek hard outerfinish and is therefore well adapted for insulation purposes. It iscapable of being made very thin.

The most usual way of preparing my improved fabric is to spread thecompound which is to form the same out on a suitable foundation orsupport a of cotton fabric or other convenient material.

In the drawings I have indicated a layer 1), preferably deposited in aplurality of coats, three being herein shown, said layer consisting offire-resisting material in powdered form, such as asbestos, or asbestosand mica, magnesium, lime, slate, talc, infusorial earth, or any earthysubstance, or any prepared mass or mixture of fireproof material, mixedwith suitable vulcanizable material, such as rubber or equivalentoxidized oils, as commonly practiced in the rubber art, together with adrier and vulcanizing agent-as, for example, lithargc and sulfur. On thelayer b are also placed, preferably in successive coats, layers 0 ofrelatively soft material, such as rubber. Preferably the coatings fromthe bottommost coating next the foundation a to the last coating appliedcontain sulfur or other well-known vulcanizing agent in diminishingquantities, so that when the entire sheet is vulcanized the micacontaining layer will have next to it a backing of relatively soft ormore pliable waterproof and resilient material.

The fabric may be applied directly to an object by placing on top ofsaid intermediate and softer layer 0 a coat d of cementitious substance,preferably of 'vulcanizable naphtha solution of rubber, and dusting overthis coating a layer of dry antimony or other vulcanizing powder g, towhich may be added a quantity of bisulfid of carbon, which I have foundto be superior, because of its ability to dissolve rubber, sulfur, andpartly thelitharge of the rubber solution.

Having prepared the material as set forth, the whole is vulcanized,thereby melting the layer g, so that it no longer appears as such,

and at the same time directly vulcauizing the lining and in case it isbeing applied to an object uniting it thereto.

As already intimated, I do not limit myself to all these features, asuseful and advantageous results are obtained when a part only thereofare employed,whether alone or in connection with features now known inthe art.

I do not intend to limit myself as to the binding agent necessary tobring about the required homogeneous mass by vulcanization, asdescribed, as this can be accomplished with any of the well-knownvulcanizing agencies.

Having prepared the material, the foundation a, is stripped off, leavinga sleek hard finish consisting of the outer or bottommost coating b,which being composed of mica and asbestos or similar substances offersgood fire protection and affords good insulation.

The surface coating 6 is relatively hard, and hence not liable toabrasion, while the layers 0 are pliable and tough or resilient,affording extreme pliability and strength or absence of tendency torupture.

The layers are in no sense distinct from each other, as would be thecase were successive sheets stuck or cemented together; but they areintegral with each other, being entirely homogeneous, excepting that thedegree or extent of vulcanization diminishes from the hard surface atoward the interior of the fabric.

The degree of vulcanization and extent or proportion of other featuresemployed may be varied. Different layers of flexible insulating materialmay be employed, each varying from the other either in fire-resisting orinsulating and pliability-giving qualities.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, isv 1. The herein-describedmaterial, comprising a plurality of layers of pliable vulcanizedmaterial containing fire-resisting ingredients in a portion of saidlayers, said layers being of varying degreesof hardness.

2. The herein-described material, comprising a plurality of layers ofpliable vulcanized material containing fire-resisting ingredients in aportion of said layers, said layers being of varying degrees ofhardness, and having an outer hard surface and an intermediate softerlayer.

3. The herein-described material, comprising a plurality of layers ofpliable vulcanized material containing fire-resisting ingredients in aportion of said layers, said layers being of varying degrees ofhardness, and having AMANDA M. LOUGEE. Witnesses:

GEO. H. MAXWELL,

WILHELMINA O. HEUSER.

